1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to fluid filled pillows, and more particularly pertains to pillows having heating means so as to permit their use for therapeutic purposes.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various patient treatment pads and other devices for applying heat therapy are well known in the art. Further, there have been some inventions directed to the construction of heating pads which are designed for applying heat therapy to a user's head. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,469,771, which issued to T. Jepson on May 10, 1949, discloses a facial hydrotherapeutic device attachable to a user's face and having a flow of heated fluid directed therethrough. This device requires a tubular arrangement for attachment to a supply of flowing heated water, or some similar heated fluid, and is not designed to permit a user to recline thereon.
A similar approach to the need for applying therapeutic heat to a patient's head is found in U.S. Pat. No. 2,299,162, which issued to L. Marick on Oct. 20, 1942. The Marick device is attachable by straps to the face of a patient and effectively comprises an electrically heated sinus pad. No warmed fluids are used, nor is the device functional as a pillow or some similar device on which the patient could recline.
While the above-described therapeutic heating devices are funtional for their intended purposes, it can be appreciated that they are designed for very specific applications and are not particularly well designed for long term use, as could be occasioned by a person reclining thereon. Further, the manner of attaching these devices to a patient's head by necessity limits the area of heat application to the patient's face, whereby no heat application can be afforded to other parts of the patient's head.
As such, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need for new and improved therapeutic heating devices which are designed for use around and about a patient's head with the patient being selectively able to determine the areas of heat application, and in this respect, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.